Miles
by MasterShaper
Summary: Before Gaia, there was Meteor. Before the Avatar program, there was SOLDIER. And that was where everything fell apart. WRITTEN TO COMMEMORATE FINAL FANTASY'S SILVER ANNIVERSARY. AU. IN PROGRESS.


**Prologue**

In retrospect, everything really started to go wrong when the meteorite hit.

Some said that the world was a fallen one in the wake of the incident, and few could ever bring themselves to dispute that claim. Of course, there were others who claimed that the world was a better place than it had been when the bloodstained history of mankind was considered. And then there were those who argued that all the bad things which had happened were meant to bring out the best in humanity.

Just whose intentions they were referring to was anyone's guess, though. Be it some deity, government conspiracy, or even aliens, if one knew where to look, it was certain that at least some believers would be found attributing the meteorite's impact to any of those.

One thing that everyone could agree on, though, was that the war which broke out within two months of the devastating impact did quite a number on the surviving parts of human civilisation.

Naturally, the meteorite itself had caused some grand-scale apocalyptic damage to Earth's crust and those who inhabited it. While it had been considerate enough to land in the ocean, the resulting tidal wave had decimated a significant number of coastal cities, and there were a few islands which had yet to resurface in the wake of the impact. Everything from the tides to the economy and ecosystem went absolutely wild, and mankind's cosy existence was shaken to its very core. The war was merely the icing on top of the cake.

And of course, everyone knew that war was good for business. At least, for those who sold weapons and the scientists behind them, it was.

By the time the war was over, Earth was a very different place.

Ten years later, it was barely recognisable, thanks to a particularly enterprising arms manufacturer and dealer who had monopolised the industry five years earlier.

Twenty years after the war, things had more or less stabilised, what with water finding its level and all that.

It was just before the war's twenty-fifth anniversary that things started to change again.

And as the saying went, when it rains, it _pours_.

xxx

Many things had changed in the twenty five years since the Treaty of Gaia was signed and World War 3 ended. Poverty and friendship weren't among them.

The town was known as one of the few surviving green lungs on Earth's ruined surface, and so its inhabitants had continued their long tradition of farming and agriculture-based commerce. While by no means a backwater slum, making ends meet was a matter of daily toil for all of its residents, regardless of age, ancestry, or occupation.

Nonetheless, life went on and the townspeople were content. The elderly spoke fondly of days long past, and the youths took solace in dreams, as they always had.

Nights on the mountain slopes surrounding the town tended to be windy, and that night was no exception. Stars glittered brightly in the cloudless sky, and the sparse mountain-side foliage rustled prettily in the breeze as two teenagers – a female and a male - sat down on a ledge overlooking the road to the city. The road wound its way down the mountain, going around the terraced slopes where the farms were, looking like a strange, flat snake that was headed to the city.

"So... tomorrow's the big day, then," said the teenage girl as she leaned against her male companion's back.

He remained silent, his attention seemingly fixated on the orange glow in the sky above the distant city.

She let out a sigh. "Things are going to be different without you around. Did your parents manage to find someone to help out on the farm once you're gone?"

"They did," he replied softly, his voice sounding weary – unsurprisingly so, given that he hadn't said a word since they had gotten to their little vantage point over an hour ago.

For a while, they just sat there in silence, enjoying the night breeze and each other's company. Within twenty-four hours, one of them would have left the mountain and its people behind, and the two of them knew that.

After some time, the girl broke the silence again. "You'll come back, right? Or at least, you'll write to us to let us know that you're alright?"

"I'll come back," he replied firmly. "Even if it's a few years down the road, I'll be back. And I'll write home as often as they'll allow me to."

"That's... nice," the girl said, sounding distinctly forlorn. "All the boys leave town, they said. And not all of them ever make it back."

"I'll be back, believe me," the boy said, shaking his head. "That much, I promise you. If, if...

"Whenever you're in trouble, just get a message to me, and I'll get back here as fast as I can. Doesn't matter where they send me, I'll be back. And that's a promise."

She turned around, and hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don't ever change, alright? If you go and become all different... maybe it's better that you stay gone. You, you understand, right?"

He leaned his head against hers, and reached up to grasp her hands. "I want us to grow old together."

"Then I'll wait for you," she said, looking towards the city in the distance. "That... that's my promise to you."

The moon, shining ever so brightly, was the only witness to the promises made on the mountainside, the glistening eyes, and the kiss that followed.

**Author's note:**

I know, I know. How many times has it been since I've claimed to want to step down from fanfiction writing? Too many damned times, that's for sure. But this time, between work, finishing my degree, learning music, and personal issues, it looks like this one's going to be my swan song for real.

And of course, you didn't think that I'd let Final Fantasy's silver anniversary pass just like that, did you? Hell, I'd have come out of the grave, let alone retirement from writing for that. So, this one's going to be special, it's going to be different, and maybe it'll make Complex look dull, I don't know.

Wherever this leads to, it's going to be one bumpy ride so strap your selves in since it's about damn time I got into the fifth gear.


End file.
